Jacqueline Wilson is a highly acclaimed English author, best known for her children's novels. Born in Bath, Somerset, England, in 1945, Wilson grew up in Kingston-on-Thames, London, and developed a love for writing at a young age. She wrote her first "novel" at the age of nine and pursued her passion for writing throughout her teenage years, eventually becoming a full-time author after having her daughter, Emma.
Wilson has become a controversial figure in children's literature due to the themes she explores in her books, such as divorce, mental illness, and adoption. Despite this, she has received numerous nominations for awards and has won many of them, including the Guardian Children's Fiction Award, the Children's Book of the Year at the British Book Awards, and the Smarties Medal. In 2002, Wilson was awarded the OBE for her services to literacy in schools, and from 2005 to 2007, she served as the Children's Laureate. In 2008, she was made a Dame.
One of Wilson's most successful and enduring creations is the character Tracy Beaker, who first appeared in "The Story of Tracy Beaker" in 1991. The book was also the first to be illustrated by Nick Sharratt, who has since collaborated with Wilson on many of her other books. Wilson's work has been translated into many languages, and she has sold millions of copies of her books worldwide, with over 35 million sold in the UK alone.
Wilson's books have been adapted into several successful television series, including "The Story of Tracy Beaker," "Tracy Beaker Returns," "The Dumping Ground," and "The Tracy Beaker Files." In February 2016, Wilson will release a new book called "The Story Of Tracy Beaker: 25th anniversary" to mark the 25th anniversary of the character's creation. Wilson's contribution to children's literature has been recognized with a nomination for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2014 for her lifetime contribution as a children's writer.